Hello and Welcome to my Jushin "Thunder" Liger dedication page. Even though Jushin liger wrestles in Japan, he is still my favorite wrestler. I remember watching him pull off huge death-defying moves on WCW Clash Of The Champions a long time ago... I have been following his career for a long time and now with the invention of the internet I can find evenm more information about Liger's career. Below is some basic background information on Jyushin Lyger (Japanese Name)

Keiichi Yamada was the star
of his high school amateur
wrestling team. After graduating,
he asked the NJPW for a
spot, but the NJPW rejected
his request. He then went to
Mexico to better his skills in
wrestling school. In June,
1983, the NJPW had a taping
in Mexico. Keiichi Yamada
got his second chance to
join the NJPW. That time,
Yamada was offered a
try-out. Then he had his
NJPW debut on March 3rd,
1984.

Two years later, Yamada
won the '86 Young Lion Cup,
which was the tournament
for rookies in the NJPW.
Yamada became more and
more popular, so the office
decided to send Yamada on
tours of other countries, so
that he could be an ace
when he returned to Japan.
Thus, Yamada wrestled in
England and Calgary. In the
fall of 1988, a Jushin Liger
cartoon debuted in Japan,
and it became very popular.
Due to the success of Tiger
Mask character, the NJPW
office decided to use the
Jushin Liger character to
present that angle again.

Keiichi Yamada became
Jushin Liger and debuted on
29th April, 1989. Less than
one month later, Jushin Liger
won his first IWGP Jr.
Heavyweight Title from
Hiroshi Hase. On 5th
January, 1990, Jushin Liger
changed his name to Jushin
Thunder Liger. In the
following years, Liger beat
many superstars, such as
Owen Hart, Ultimo Dragon,
Wild Pegasus(Chris Benoit),
Super Delfin and Brian
Pillman.

By the early 1990's, Liger
began booking the New
Japan junior heavyweight
division. Two elements of his
booking style began to
emerge. The first was a solid
mix of juniors from all
different leagues in Japan.
He instituted an open door
policy for the division which
increased the quality and
freshness of the matches
and division as a whole. The
second element of his
booking which developed
was the tournament format
as a new form of competition
amongst the juniors.

In 1991, Liger made his US
debut by defeating the late
Brian Pillman for the WCW
Light Heavyweight Title. His
style was a huge contrast to
the plodding heavyweights.
Liger and Pillman had a
classic series of bouts which
culminated with his losing
the strap to Pillman at
Superbrawl II.
Liger's mark;
however, was left on the US
fans. He gave them a taste
for what would become the
future Cruiserweight Division.

In 1995 and 1996, Liger once
again resurfaced in WCW,
and tagged with The Great
Sasuke while in the US.
However, in the summer of
1996, Liger befell a brain
cancer that almost ended his
wrestling career. Liger's
cancer was successfully
removed, and he returned to
action.

In August of 1996, Liger, the
booker, pulled off the
greatest political deal of his
career. He convinced 8
different leagues to send
their junior champion to a
winner-take-all 8 man
tournament. While Liger did
not go on to win this initial
tournament, he would
eventually capture the
J-Crown, all 8 junior
heavyweight titles.

In 1997, he won the WWF
World Light Heavyweight
Title, in Japan, from Ultimo
Dragon in a six month reign
ending in a loss to El
Samurai. During his illustrious
career, Liger has held 2
British singles titles, singles
titles in the NWA, UWA,
WWA, and WAR promotions,
and two tag titles; one with
the Great Sasuke and
another with El Samurai.
After winning his first IWGP
Junior Heavyweight title in
1989, he has held it for over
four years, a remarkable
feat.

Liger is a wrestling legend,
innovater, and a trendsetter
in the sport of professional
wrestling. He did what no
one in the genre thought
was possible: have juniors
gain fan interest independent
of the heavyweights.

Liger is the man most responsible for the J-Crown existing, he arranged the tournament in which all the Jr. champs put their belts up for grabs...winner take all. Another thing that Jushin Liger is accredited for is inventing the Shooting Star Press.